Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The R.O.S.E. Fund Helps Women Disfigured by Domestic Violence

One in 3 women will suffer physical and emotional trauma in their lives as a result of domestic violence. Thirty-five percent of women murdered in the U.S. are killed by a husband or boyfriend. Domestic violence affects 32 million people each year in the U.S. It takes years to overcome the devastating toll it takes on the victims, and for many the physical scars are a constant reminder of their experience.

The R.O.S.E. (Regaining One's Self-Esteem) Fund is dedicated to helping women who have been disfigured by domestic violence. The organization works with hospitals and doctors across New England to provide medical and surgical assistance to help women restore the damage done to their face, head, neck, jaw, teeth and other areas damaged by domestic violence.
Services offered include repairing injuries to the jaw, such as a broken jaw that has created problems with eating; repairing noses that have been broken; dental services for missing teeth; plastic surgery for scars left by cuts and burns; and medical services to repair damage done to the head, neck, ears, nose and throat.

The organization was founded in 1992 when they began to raise funds to increase awareness of domestic violence. In 2000, they began to offer free reconstructive surgery with the help of participating hospitals and doctors as a way of improving the lives of women who have survived domestic violence and helping them regain their self-esteem and confidence.